I’ve been “wanting” to stop being on my phone for a while.

Probably years.

I’ll do better sometimes.

I’ll do worse sometimes.

But recently, I’ve seen it as a more serious problem.

It’s a literal distraction from greater work that I could be doing.

I mean, really!

All those minutes (eh… hours) on my screen time report each week.

Imagine if I was serving someone with that time!

Being more present with my kids.

Creating positive new things.

I’ve started to see my phone less as “that distraction” we all have, and more as an actual serious temptation that is stopping me from being an even stronger disciple of Jesus Christ.

And I realized that I had been trying to “will-power” my way into using my phone less.

But I kept forgetting the most important person.

Not even important, the ESSENTIAL person who knows absolutely everything about overcoming temptation.

Jesus.

“God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Who is “the way” to help me escape my temptation?

Jesus is the Way.

He’s not hoping I can stop looking at my phone so much, turning on another show to pass the time.

He’s waiting for me to realize my full potential and ask for His assistance.

God knows that we will always be stronger than any temptation we face.

And it’s because the adversary pales in comparison to the power that Jesus Christ holds.

Jesus is the way to escape temptations of every kind.

Phone usage. Anger. Judgment. Dishonesty. Pride. Rudeness.

God has provided a way for all of us to escape temptation.

And the Way is Jesus Christ.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post How to spend less time on your phone first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“Why can’t she just fulfill her calling? It’s not that hard!”

I’ve noticed that when I judge other people, I’m usually comparing my strengths to their weaknesses.

I’m an organized, efficient, and dependable person.

So a lot of the judgmental thoughts in my head are focused on how other people are not as organized, efficient, or dependable as I am.

And on the flip side…

When I’m sinking into self-pity, overwhelmed at everything I’m not doing, I’ve noticed something, too.

“We spend so much time and energy comparing ourselves to others—usually comparing our weaknesses to their strengths.” —Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I’m usually comparing my weaknesses to other people’s strengths.

“Why can’t I create a creative meal like that for my kids?”

“I’ll never be able to connect the way she does.”

It sounds a lot like the situation Paul describes:

“And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” (1 Corinthians 12:21)

We are all (to some extent) saying that we don’t need people the way they are when we judge them.

And we are all thinking that our community doesn’t need us the way we are when we judge ourselves negatively.
⁣
We all have been given different spiritual gifts and talents.

There is no need to compare our gifts and talents with each other.

No matter how tempting it may be to do so!

We need everyone in the kingdom of God.

We need people at every skill level.

We need people with every kind of gift imaginable.

We need people who are willing to develop new talents.

We need people who are patient with other people’s weaknesses and don’t stress about fixing things they can’t fix.

We don’t need to feel prideful about the gifts we have, or bitter about the gifts we don’t.

We can just feel gratitude.

For ourselves, and for others.

Just like a body needs all the various parts with their unique functions, scars, shapes, beauty, injuries, and purposes…

We need everyone EXACTLY as they are right now, filled with different personalities and strengths and quirks and experiences, in order to create a functioning, beautiful body of saints who are willing to take the time to love and lift everyone toward Jesus.

You are needed exactly as you are!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The harsh truth about judging others first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It will never fail us to not envy. ⁣

It will never fail us to not puff ourselves up with pride. ⁣

We won’t fail if we don’t anger easily.

We won’t fail if we don’t rejoice in doing iniquity. ⁣

We cannot fail if we rejoice in the truth.

Bear all things.

Believe all things.

Hope all things.

Endure all things. ⁣

“Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Charity, the true love of Christ, will never fail us.

And having charity will never fail those around us who we desperately hope to help.

Which parts of charity do you feel like are your strengths? ⁣

Which parts of charity are you working to cultivate right now?⁣

Paul’s teachings found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 are world-famous for good reason!

He gives us a literal checklist to work on to develop this elusive quality of “charity”. ⁣

How could we ever love purely in the way that Christ does? ⁣

How could we ever become truly Christlike?

By developing these qualities over a lifetime of trial, error, repentance, and refinement. ⁣

For when we have charity, or are working to develop charity, we cannot fail.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Charity never faileth first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I took 3 years of French in high school.

And that’s about the gist of what I remember.

The “gift of tongues” has always seemed like a cool gift to me.

What if you could learn a new language right away?!

But I’ve studied a lot about spiritual gifts recently.

And have you ever realized what gift is ALWAYS listed with the spiritual gift of tongues?

“. . . to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:10)

Speaking with tongues and interpreting tongues always go together.

Why would this be?

Because often they need to work together!

And what I’ve learned is this:

The purpose of spiritual gifts is not just to easily speak a new language because it would be cool.

Spiritual gifts are all about working together and EDIFYING each other!

There is no point in a missionary miraculously knowing how to teach a lesson after just arriving in a new country just for fun…

There needs to be a spiritual reason why.

And this goes for all gifts!

We aren’t great listeners, huggers, teachers, leaders, readers, chatters, feelers, ministers, organizers just for fun.

We are given these gifts in order to edify someone!

What a beautiful, circular relationship Heavenly Father has allowed us to create through His gifts.

We help others when they are ready to receive.

And we can be ready to receive blessings at the hand of others’ gifts.

How can you edify someone with your spiritual gifts today?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What are spiritual gifts used for? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.